ESIR17

Program

Session 1: Methodological and Technical Advances in Isotope Studies

Invited speakers : Dr. Mathieu Daëron (CNRS, Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, Saclay) et Dr. Alicja Wudarska (Polish Academy of Sciences)

Since the first publications by Frederic Soddy in 1913, isotopic techniques have been in constant evolution alongside new technological developments. This session presents the most recent breakthrough for isotopic determinations. This applies both to preparation methods (chromatography, elemental analysis, laser ablation…) as well as isotopic measurements (IRMS, Laser spectroscopy, ICP-MS, organic MS…). Most recently accessible isotopic systems like clumped isotopes, ¹⁷O, ³³S, ³⁶S, ⁹⁰Sr…are welcome in this session. Theoretical, metrological isotopic research experiments are also within the scope of this widely open session.

Session 2: ¹⁴C dating and isotopic tracing of the hydrological cycle

Invited speaker: to be confirmed

Radiocarbon dating (¹⁴C) and isotopic tracing have become essential tools for understanding the hydrological cycle. This session will discuss advancements in ¹⁴C techniques, such as the use of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) for more precise measurements, and the challenges of interpreting ¹⁴C data in complex systems. The session will also explore the use of other tracers (³H, D, …) offering a comprehensive view of both modern and ancient water systems. Technical challenges and innovations in data integration and hydrological modeling will also be discussed. This interdisciplinary session aims to advance knowledge on water tracing techniques and their role in addressing global water challenges.

Session 3: Archaeology: tracing migratory routes, climate and diet

Invited speakers : Dr. Olalla Lopez Costas (University of Santiago de Compostela) et Pr. Dr. Christophe Snoeck (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)

The aim of this session is to explore the dynamic interaction between science and history. Stable isotopes, both traditional and non-traditional, have revolutionised archaeology in recent decades, providing crucial information about the behaviour of past human beings and his environment. The analysis of isotopic signatures in bones, teeth and soft tissues has made it possible to reconstruct the migratory routes of past populations and to shed light on climatic forcing on food resources, the existence of trade routes, the contact between populations and the ways in which landscapes were occupied. The isotopic data also reveal important information about ancient diets, climate and surrounding fauna, illustrating how humans adapted to changing environmental conditions and the animals on which they depended for survival. We would therefore like to have colleagues ready to discuss the latest developments in isotope analysis, which enrich our understanding of how ancient populations interacted with their ecosystems and responded to climate change.

Session 4: Climate and environment: from the past to the future

Invited speakers : Dr. Marta Marchegiano (University of Granada) et Pr. Dr. Manuel Rigo (University of Padova)

Paleoclimates include a wide variety of temperature changes, precipitation regimes, the incidence and extent of glaciations, and, ultimately, their impact on the biosphere, define Earth's history. Understanding past climates is crucial for predicting future trends, as it provides a baseline for how the Earth's systems have responded to natural and anthropogenic influences over millennia. Historical climate dynamics necessitates multi-approach, multi-scale studies, as well as the discovery and application of new paleoclimatic proxies, in conjunction with technical and methodological improvements in isotope geochemistry. This session invites proposals on climate change across all time scales, from Precambrian to Quaternary and we accept experimental and theoretical research with stable isotope techniques, including both traditional and novel approaches. The session will also highlight the role of human activity in accelerating environmental shifts and discuss the implications for biodiversity, water resources, and global sustainability.

Session 5: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Invited speakers : Dr. Laurent Simon (Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University)

This session will explore the contributions of geochemistry to understanding the relationships between living organisms and their environment, as well as the evolutionary mechanisms that shape biodiversity over time. The presentations will focus particularly on the influence of the chemical composition of natural ecosystems on organism adaptations, the links between changes in biogeochemical cycles and the fundamental processes governing the evolution and diversity of species, as well as knowledge that could enhance the ecosystem services provided to humanity. This session encourages interdisciplinarity and exchanges between researchers, with the aim of promoting new approaches to analyse these relationships between ecology and evolutionary biology at different scales.

Session 6: Biogeochemistry and fluids in extreme environments: from origins to the present day

Invited speaker : Dr. Monica Sanchez-Roman (Vrije Universteit, Amsterdam)

We would like to emphasise the central role of stable isotopes in the study of the origin and processes of aqueous fluids under extreme conditions of temperature, pressure, salinity, Eh and pH. Indeed, stable isotope analysis, using both traditional and non-traditional isotope systems, provides essential information on biogeochemical mechanisms and their evolution, whether for reconstructing biogeochemical cycles or tracing the history of the Earth's most inhospitable environments. By studying aqueous fluids in environments ranging from deep-sea hydrothermal vents, the deep continental biosphere and cryosphere to extraterrestrial environments, we are advancing our understanding of the adaptability of life and the evolution of terrestrial systems from their origins to the present day.